The role of the PTS Role of the PTS technical consultants Progress in Knowledge Management

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5.3 Technical Management

During this reporting period technical management of the program has emerged as a weakness and action is required to strengthen this in 2014 since there will be a significant increase in activity implementation. The PTS will remain focused on the higher level technical direction, however he will require day to day technical management of activities, such as reviewing of ToRs, reviewing outputs and technical information emerging from consultants and ensuring the technical coordination across components, SRs and sub national levels activities. To address this gap, fortnightly technical management meetings are planned, led by the PTS and supported by the ISP Manager and CPMU Coordinator. To date, the AIPHSS TWG meetings have not provided an effective level of technical scrutiny of work plans and activities. However they have acted as a forum for political buy-in from key stakeholders. Some activities in the work plan do not fit with AIPHSS objectives. To rectify this, CPMU, PTS and DFAT will need to renegotiate activities with the SRs and sub national partners. Renegotiation is likely to create frustration. It is recommended that a smaller technical group i.e. pre-TWG, provide the detailed scrutiny of the work plan and activities and prepares a report for the wider TWG.

5.3.1 The role of the PTS

The PTS provides technical and strategic direction and undertakes regular analysis of the work plans, providing a strategic framework and linkages with senior policy makers in MoH. During this reporting period the PTS has continued to make assessments of the work plan activities submitted by the SRs and SSRs. Several work plan analysis meeting have taken place at the national and subnational levels which have resulted in improvements in the ToRs and filtering of activities. None-the-less, activities continue to be submitted that do not fit clearly fit with AIPHSS performance framework. The PTS has expressed difficulty in re-negotiating workplan activities with senior MoH staff. In addition, decisions to implement activities are sometimes made directly between DFAT and SRs which undermines the PTS. Progress made by the PTS  Building closer linkages with senior policy makers for AIPHSS;  Rationalisation and providing coherence to the work plans  Developing closer linkages with the sub national government partners and advocating for AIPHSS and health systems strengthening;  Early stage development a flagship primary health care revitalisation and operational research project.

5.3.2 Role of the PTS technical consultants

The PTS is supported by four technical consultants whose role is to review activity ToRs, work plans, technical outputs and produce knowledge products such as policy briefs. Initially the advisers received little guidance from the PTS or CPMU management team which resulted in minimal impact from their inputs. However, as planning and implementation has increased at the sub national offices the advisers have provided support in negotiating activities, assistance in preparing the TWGs and reviewing ToRs. The advisers will also start to receive outputs from completed activities which they will be required to review in partnership with the clients. 27

5.3.3 Progress in Knowledge Management

There has been no progress in the development of a Knowledge Management Plan in the current reporting period. This has been discussed with the PTS who proposed the development of a Knowledge Management Framework which would identify and elaborate technical linkages across components to increase technical efficiencies. Activities to explicitly achieve this have not been identified although linkages already exist and can be made. For example the ADINKES supported regulatory reform 5 is linked to the Puskemas Revitalisation which can also inform the Health Sector Review to ensure they are included in the next Five Year Strategic Plan. Improvements required for the next reporting period are:  Fortnightly technical management meetings led by the PTS;  Strengthen technical coordination with the SRs and the sub national levels;  Partners to agree on a pre-TWG technical review of the workplans in preparation for the TWG;  Develop a mechanism where lessons learned from consultants are reviewed and applied in continuous manner to strengthen the technical contribution of AIPHSS;  PTS to lead development a Knowledge Management Plan for AIPHSS.

5.4 Monitoring and Evaluation